Apparatus for separating mineral-bearing matter from streams of water.



J. V. COLEMAN.

APPARATUS FOR SBPARATING MINERAL BEARING MATTER FROM STREAMS OF WATER.APPLICATION FILED APR.4, 1910.

995,526, Patented June 20, 1911 3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

. INVENTOR WITNESSES. f

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J. V. COLEMAN. APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING MINERAL BEARING MATTER FROMSTREAMS OF WATER.

APPLICATION FILED APRA, 1910.

Patented June 20, 1911.

3 SHEETSSHBET 2.

V fflgJIUII-UI N E JN INVENTUR 1144 WITNESISE'Q. @W

J. V. COLEMAN. APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING MINERAL BEARING MATTER PROMSTREAMS OF WATER.

APPLICATION FILED APRA, 1910.

Patented J um 20, 1911.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

W/TA/EJSES. y A

IINITE i STATES FATEN'I @FFIQE.

JAMES V. COLEMAN, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 20, 1911.

Application filed April 4, 1910. Serial No. 553,407.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES V. COLEMAN, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of the city and county of San Francisco, State ofCalifornia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Apparatus forSeparating Mineral-Bearing Matter from Streams of lVater, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention is an endless movable sluice for use principally inseparating and recovering metallic particles from mineral bear ingmatter which is carried in suspension in a stream or body of water inmotion, such for example as the tailings from ore mills and othermachines and appliances in an ore mining and milling plant. Thisapparatus or contrivance is herein termed, for convenience ofdescription, an endless movable sluice for the reason that it resemblesand partakes of the character of a mining sluice in being trough-like inshape and having its bottom divided into separate compartments by ridgesor barriers extending transversely across the bottom from side to side,like the well known ritl'les in the bottom of a mining sluice. Itdiffers from such a sluice, however, first in having its bottom composedof or provided with a succession of cavities or pockets separated bytransverse ridges and having sloping sides that give the pocket a troughlike shape; and secondly in having the form of an endless belt so thatwhen placed on carrying wheels or pulleys it will travel in an endlessround as the carriers are revolved. This endless traveling quality ofthe sluice of my invention is secured by constructing the bottom andsides of canvas or other material sufii ciently pliable or flexible topermit the bottom and the sides to crimp, or fold, or otherwise contractto smaller dimensions when the direction of the travel or progressivemovement of the sluice changes or deviates from a straight path, andespecially where it passes over and returns around the end pulleys orwheels; and further by forming the bottom of the sluice of a number ofpockets or cavities separated by ridges or standing barriers, arrangedbetween and around a set of carrying wheels or pulleys to which movementis imparted by applying power to one or both of the carrying pulleys.

In adapting the apparatus for ordinary work of separating the solidmaterial from the flowing stream or body of water the endless sluice isoperated by a continuous pro gressive movement without a vibratingmotion. Material of such specific gravity that it will separateeffectively from the water in which it is in suspension can be worked toadvantage without the vibrating motion.

In proceeding to describe more fully the construction and arrangement ofthe parts and mechanism in which I have embodied the said invention, theaccompanying drawings are referred to by figures and letters, the sameillustrating what I consider is the best practical form and embodimentof my invention.

Figure 1 of the drawings represents-in general side elevation an endlesstraveling sluice of my invention adapted for concentrating andseparating the valuable mineral matter from a moving stream or body ofwater holding the same in suspension, the apparatus being of suchconstruction that the power to operate the sluice is taken from themoving stream itself the feeding trough being shown in section. Fig. 2is a side elevation on an enlarged scale of the endless traveling sluiceof my invention, illustrating the manner of supporting and carrying thesluice between two endless mo able belts running on pulleys or carriers.Fig. 3 is a side elevation on an enlarged scale of a portion of thesluice, shown partly in longitudinal section. Fig. 4 is a detail view inperspective of several compartments of the sluice, showing the fabricremoved from a part of the skeleton frames. Fig. 5 is a transversesectional-view of the sluice. Fig. 6 is a top-view of one of thecompartments of the feeding-on trough.

These drawings illustrate an endless traveling sluice for handling oroperating on the tailings from concentrators and other gold saving andseparating apparatus in mining plants.

As a substitute for a stationary sluice the invention will be found ofadvantage not only in performing the work of a stationary sluice of muchgreater length, but also in obtaining a more eflective as well as a morerapid separation and concentration of the sediment and other matter fromthe running stream.

In the separating apparatus represented in Fig. 1 of the drawings thedimensions of the endless sluice are about twenty feet between the endpulleys, which have a diameter of thirty inches; the width of the sluiceat the top is twelve inches, and thedepth of the pockets four inches.The distance between the top edge of the standing sides and the topridges between the pockets is about siX inches. These dimensions willvary according to the required capacity of the sluice, to the weight ofthe load, and to other conditions as before mentioned. They will be seento govern also the quality of the pliable material from which theendless sluice is formed. In the foregoing description the dimensionsand the proportions given are not to be taken as confining the inventioneither as to the size or the proportion of the parts above mentioned.

A novel feature in this endless traveling sluice of my invention is thepeculiar construction of the pockets, the same being so formed that theywill open and remain distended while the sluice is traveling in astraight line or path, but when the sluice changes its direction oftravel from a straight path to a curved one, as in passing over andaround the carrying wheels at the ends in making the circuit, the bottomof the sluice will fold or contract sufiiciently to allow the pockets topass around the axis without disturbing their general form. At thoseperiods in its travel where it moves around the axis of the carryingwheels the bottom of the sluice will fold or contract to smallerdimensions, and the sides will fold also, being made for that purpose ofcanvas or other material of sufficient pliability.

Canvas coated with rubber or treated with some other substance to renderthe sides and bottom impervious to water, and so hold. the water as wellas the separated solid particles without leaking, is a good materialfrom which to make the bottom and the sides of this sluice.

As illustrated in Figs. 3, at and 5 the bottom (1. is a succession oftransversely extending folds formed by folding the same at regularintervals apart alternately downward and upward in angular folds, sothat the inner angles form angular cavities or pockets, and the outerangles separating them constitute ridges or barriers (Z between thepockets from one side wall of the sluice to the other. The sides 5 arejoined to the folding bottom along the edges f, and at those edges theseams are made water tight by turning in the edges of the canvas andcementing or otherwise closing the joints. To keep the pockets in shapeand cause them to contract and expand as they travel be tween and passaround the carrying wheels, a series of skeleton frames 2 attachedtogether by hinge joints 3 at the top and others 4 at the bottom areemployed; the same being fixed to the underside of the bottom by turningthe edges of the canvas over the sides of the frame and fastening themby placing plates or strips 78 one on top and the other beneath theframe and drawing them tightly to place by bolts and nuts 9. F asteningsof this character are preferred to rivets for the reason that they allowthe canvas of the sides or the bottom to be replaced when worn at anypart. The canvas sides are turned over the edges f and clamped betweenthe frame and the strips 8, so as to make the joints or seams imperviousto water.

The frames 2 being of metal give the sides of the pockets sufiicientstiffness or rigidity to maintain their angular form, and give them thedesired collapsing or closing quality to pass over the wheels, and keepthem distended or in open position also while traveling in a straightpath between the end carriers. The sides Z) of this sluice beingflexible are adapted also to crimp or fold between the pockets to such adegree that they will not prevent the collapsing or fold ing of thepockets necessary to cause them to pass around the rim of the carryingwheels.

In the preferred construction of the skeleton frame the sections 2 arejointed together by a knuckle plate 5 at the top, and another 6 at thebottom, instead of being directly joined together. The effect of placingthese knuckleplates 56 between the frames is to reduce or lessen thecrimping or folding of the sides 5 between the pockets and also on theline of the ridges between the pockets, so that the sluice willaccommodate itself the better to the change from a straight to a curvedpath or line of travel, and thus pass more easily and evenly around thecarrying wheels at the end. It is not intended, however, in thisdescription to confine or limit the construction of the pockets andtheir frames to this particular construction in which the acute anglesat the tops and the bottoms of the pockets are removed by placing theknuckle plates between the frames, because it is practicable to dispensewith the knuckle-plates and connect the. frames directly together byhinge-joints at the top end and at the bottom.

In the construction first described the knuckle-plates are attached tothe frame on one side by the knuckles 3 and 10 formed on the edges ofthe frames, which when set in line with the knuckles 11 on the knuckleplate are connected by a hinge-pin inserted through both sets ofknuckles, whereas in the other construction wherein the knuckle platesare not employed and the frames are joined directly together at the topwhere they form the angular standing ridge and at the bottom where theymeet at an acute angle, the frames are provided with knuc klesoppositely arranged to take the hinge, pin. The first describedconstruction, which" is illustrated in Fig. 4 has the advantage ofproducing a pocket with a flat bottom instead of an acute angle at thebottom. 1n handling or working on some kinds of material the flat bottomwill be self-cleaning to a greater degree than the acute angular bottom.

A novel feature in the endless movable sluice of my invention consistsin suspending it between two endless belts stretched side by side overtwo sets of carrying wheels or pulleys around which the belts travel.and return in a regular and continuous manner, supporting and moving thesluice regularly between and over the carrying wheels. Belts of canvasor other flexible material such as are commonly employed in machineryfor transmitting power from a pulley on one shaft to one on anothershaft may be used for that purpose with a relatively short sluice, orwhere the carrying capacity of the sluice is small, or the load of solidmatter ordinarily handled by the pockets is light. Canvas belts underthose conditions ordinarily will work without slip or lost motion underthe working load. But where a more positive and regular travelingmovement and progression of the sluice is desired, and especially wherethe sluice is loaded heavily, or from other conditions it requires to bedriven more positively, or without danger of slipping on the carriers, Iemploy chain-belts and sprocket-wheels in place of solid belts and broadrimmed puleys. V

In the construction illustrated by Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the sluice issuspended between two endless chain belts composed of links on runningparallel to each other over two sets of sprocket-wheels 9, one at eachend of the machine, placed at proper distance apart for the sluice tohang free and travel evenly between them. The sluice is suspended fromthe chain belts by hangers 1213 each attached at the top to a clip onthe stud 17 on the inner side of one of the links of the chain belt, andat the lower end attached to the top of the pocket by means of a strap19 provided with an eye to take the hooked end of the hanger. The hangerattached to each pocket is crossed over the hanger of the next pocket asseen in Figs. 2, 3 and 1, with the effect to keep the pockets uniformlyin position, particularly in passing around the sprocket-wheels; andthey serve also to produce even and regular opening movement of thepockets in those periods of their travel when they pass over and returnaround the end wheels. The chain belts are prevented from being drawnout of alinement and are caused to travel at a uniform distance apart byplacing cross bars at intervals apart between the chains. These crossbars 79 are formed each of a rectangularly bent bar with end members 18of proper dimensions to extend down the sides of the sluice and underthe bottom-the side bars 18 being of suflicient length to bring thehorizontal bottom bar 7 clear of the frame. This construction also isuseful when the sluice is operated with a vibratory or shaking motion togive it the character of a concentrator, in which case the chain-beltsare caused to travel with an intermittent jerky movement, transmittingto the suspended sluice a short vibratory motion or shake, the characterand extent of which will serve to keep the lighter portion of thesediment or solid matter of different specific gravities in the streamto a greater or less degree in a state of suspension. By virtue of suchagitation of the water traveling through the sluice, in conjunction withthe progressive movement of the pockets against the current, the lighterportions of the solid particles being kept in suspension near thesurface and above the level of the angular ridges will be carried off inthe surface water instead of settling into the pockets and so beingcaught and retained with the heavier and valuable particles. Separationand concentration of the heavy mineral particles from the lighternon-mineral matter is accelerated by operating the sluice in thismanner. In separating and recovering from a flowing stream or body ofWater some kinds of material wherein the conditions do not seem torequire such agitating or shaking motion, but on the contrary theseparation of the solid matter and the water is found to take place tobetter advantage without keeping the stream in a state of more or lessagitation that motion is omitted and the sluice is propelled or movedforward or against the current with a continuous traveling movement.

Power is applied to the wheels at one end of the sluice by means of abelt pulley w on the shaft t and a belt 8 connecting it with a powerdriven shaft or by connecting the shaft 2, with an engine or an electricmotor.

In situations of use where such power is not available, and especiallywhere the stream to be operated on is of sufficient head or quantity topropel the sluice, I have provided a simple and effective means forutilizing the stream itself to operate the sluice. In this apparatuswhich I have illustrated in Fig. 1 the over-shot bucket wheel 20 is setin bearings 21 under the end of a stationary sluice 22 over the head ofthe separating sluice of my invent-ion, and a distributing trough 23with standing sides is interposed between the wheel 20 and the top ofthe endless sluice, so that the stream of water flowing over thebucket-wheel will be caught in the trough and distributed onto theendless sluice as it is discharged from the buckets of the water-wheel.The trough 23 which I prefer to supply for this purpose is composed of anumber of separate hopper shaped compartments 29, one of which is seenin top-view in Fig. 6, forming the bottom of the trough, with convergingsides and a flat bottom 30. In each bottom are outlet apertures 31inclining toward the center for the purpose of directing the stream ofmaterial at an angle, instead of directly downward against thesplash-plate 32 beneath. A stream of water is directed into eachcompartment through an upright pipe 33 arranged in each compartment forthe purpose of facilitating the discharge of the solid matter throughthe outlets 31. The lower end of this pipe 33 is set in close relationto the bottom of the compartment, so that impinging against it thestream will react on the body of water and the suspended matter above,with the effect to raise the scum and lighter particles to the surfaceand accelerate the discharge of the same through the surface overflow.The part 32 termed the splash-plate is interposed bet-ween the bottom ofthe trough and the sluice. Its top surface slopes from the center towardthe sides of the sluice at a slight angle, and it is set with a gradualpitch toward the tail of the sluice. The sides of the splash-plateshould be placed somewhat below the rim or standing sides I) of thesluice in order to direct the material within the standing sides.

An overflow outlet 34 at the lower end of the trough is regulated by anadjustable gate 35 provided for that purpose, by means of which thelevel of the discharge may be raised or lowered at will and a greater orless portion of the surface material can be run off with the overflow asthe character or condition of the material or the work may require. Thispart of the apparatus is serviceable also for grading the materialcarried in suspension by the moving stream, as the lighter portions maybe discharged at the surface outlet and only the heavier distributedthrough the outlets in the bottom.

To the shaft 24: of the water-wheel is connected the sprocket-wheelshaft 6 at the head of the sluice by a series of pulleys and belts, andthe power from the bucket-wheel is thus transmitted to the endlesssluice, the size of the pulleys being regulated to reduce the speed tothe required conditions. As these conditions will necessarily vary withand are obviously controlled by the character of the stream to behandled and operated on and by its volume and rate of flow as well, thetravel or rate of movement of the endless sluice must be varied anddetermined from the existing conditions; it being evident from themanner in which the sluice has been designed to operate that its travelagainst the current should be at such a rate of speed that the heavyparticles will be caught in the pockets and carried toward the head ofthe machine beneath the stream of light particles still in suspension inthe stream flowing over the riflies or ridges.

Provision is made in this apparatus for changing the grade or pitch ofthe endless sluice by mounting the belt-carrying wheels at the tail endin vertically adjustable bearings in which the shaft boxes 25 which arecarried by screws 26 are raised and lowered by the screws and theinclination of the 'sluice is varied according to the grade re quired.

The intermediate carrying wheels 27 placed at intervals along the sideto carry the belts m serve to prevent sagging and keep the sluice on astraight line under the weight of the load.

In operating the endless traveling sluice of my invention the stream ofwater and matter in suspension is taken on near the head, and flowingthrough the sluice and over the pockets is discharged at the oppositeend, while the sluice continually moving in the opposite directioncarries the pockets in endless succession against the current andfinally brings them over the wheels at the head and back again in aninverted position to the lower end.

In separating solid matter that is found to stick or adhere to thebottom of the pockets a pipe 36 is placed at the discharge end of theapparatus in position to divert a jet of water against the sides andbottom of the pockets.

IVhile I have termed this invention an apparatus for separating mineralbearing matter from streams of water, I desire it to be understood thatI do not limit myself to such use, as the apparatus can be used withequal efficiency for separating any material held in suspension in afluid. The apparatus may also be termed as classifier or a hydraulicscreen as it acts to classify the ma-' terial into its solid and fluidcomponents, or acts to screen the matter held in suspension.

' In mining work, the slimes from the ore mill carry in suspension acertain percentage of coarse sand which must be separated from theslimes before further treatment. Where the greatest percentage of valueis in the sands, they are further treated and the slimes allowed towaste, and when from the character of the ore the greater percentage ofvalue is in the slimes, they are subjected to further treatment afterthe coarser heavier material held in suspension has been removed.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for separating mineral bearing matter from streams ofwater, comprising an endless sluice composed of pliable material, havingstanding sides and a bottom formed of alternately arranged oppositelyinclined frames hinged together and covered with an impervious material,the

said sluice being suspended between endless carrying belts to whichprogressive movement is imparted by means of carrying pulleys.

2. In an apparatus for separating mineral bearing matter from streams ofwater, an endless sluice composed of flexible sides and a bottomcomprising a succession of folding pockets separated by transverseridges, carrying pulleys, endless belts arranged on the carrying pulleysand to which the sluice is attached and means for holding the pocketswithin the sluice at that part which lies be low the level of thepulleys on the return of the sluice.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, an endless sluice havingflexible sides and a folding bottom composed of flexible material and astiffening frame of plates attached together by hinge-joints atalternately opposite angles, so as to produce a succession of alternateangular depressions and ridges, the said sluice being suspended betweentwo parallel traveling carrying belts on pulleys by which a continuousmovement of the sluice in an endless round is maintained, and meanscombined with the said carrying pulleys for raising and lowering thesame to regulate the grade of the endless sluice.

4. In an apparatus of the character described, the endless travelingsluice having flexible standing sides and a flexible bottom composed offlexible material and inclined plates loosely hinged togetheralternately at top and bottom, the endless carrying belts and means forsuspending the sluice from the belts comprising rods attached to thesluice directly beneath the point where the plates are hinged togetherat the top and links connected loosely to the belts and to the rods.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, an endless sluice havingstanding flexible sides, and a flexible bottom composed of alternatepockets and ridges and stifi'ening members attached to the sides of thesluice in line with the ridges.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, an endless travelingsluice composed of flexible standing sides and a bottom composed ofalternate pockets and ridges, carrying belts for the sluice, hangersarranged on the sluice in line with the ridges and projecting therefrom,and links attached to the hangers and to the belts for supporting thesluice, said links being attached to the belts in line with one ridgeand attached to the hanger at the next adjacent ridge.

7. I11 an apparatus of the character described, an endless travelingsluice composed of flexible standing sides and a bottom composed ofalternate pockets and ridges, carrying belts for the sluice, and bracesadapted to hold the belts apart, attached to the belts in line with theridges and passing beneath the sluice.

JAMES V. COLEMAN.

Witnesses H. G. PRosT, M. L. REGNER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

